Apparatus for aligning balloons or the like



Nov. 2?, 1951 D. P. REYNOLDS APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING BALLOONS OR THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.

' INVENTOR. Daniel I P Rfij Rttovng gw Nov. 27,195! D, Y 0 2,576,393

APPARATUS FOR ALIGNINGBALLOONS OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 18, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Danle'l P. Re qnold 5 M mama mam Nov 2'1, 19.51 D. P. REYNQLDS 2,575,891

' APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING BALLOONS OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 18, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Daniel R Rgy rzolds Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR ALIGN IN G BALLOON S OR THE LIKE Daniel .P. Reynolds, Massillon, Ohio, assignor to The Oak Rubber Company, Ravenna, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio 12 Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to the aligning of small, flexible, resilient articles, such as balloons, and, specifically, relates to an automatic apparatus and method ior arranging balloons with the neck end of the balloons extending from one endof the balloon lna uniform direction with relation to :the apparatus.

Primarily all commercial manufacture of rubber balloons today is on a relatively large scale so that balloon factories make thousands of balloons per day. In many instances, it is desired to process or package these balloons specially and to do this operation manually, as now is the ordinaryprocedure, a large number of employees are required, and a relatively large factory space is used for the processes of Packaging and sorting balloons.

Furthermore, many of the better grade balloonsmanufactured today are retailed in individual packages and while packaging machines are available for the balloons, it still is very difficult to feed the balloons to the packaging machines so as to obtain maximum efficiency of the packaging machines and to package the balloons in the most desirable manner.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for aligning balloons and for feeding individual balloons from .a machine with the ring rolls or necks of the balloons being uniformly positioned.

Another object of the invention is to provide a balloon aligning machine and method which is particularly adapted to prepare balloonsfor proc essing by an automatic packaging machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact, efiicient machine for use in sorting or processing balloons automatically and avoid manual handling of same.

,A further object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive machine which will positively position balloons in a desired manner.

jA further object of the invention is to provide automatic apparatus for processing small resilient articles so as to position them in a desired manner and with the apparatus of the invention being adapted for a long operative life with a minimum of maintenance cost.

Another object of the invention is to en age with spaced lateral portions of a small resilient article, such as a balloon, so that the neck portion of a ballooncan be moved out of the general plane of the remainder of the balloons.

Another object oi the invention is to provide a special type of belt which isparticularly suit-ed for carrying balloons thereon without permitting ;any slippage between the balloon and the belt.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

Attention is now directed to the accompanying drawing, wherein one operative embodiment of apparatus for practicing the invention is disclosed, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken on line I-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 through 8 are enlarged sections taken on lines IIIIII, IV- IV, V-V, VI-VI, VII-VII, and VIII.-VIII of Fig. l; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail longitudinal section of a portion of the balloon carrying belt of the apparatus.

Broadly speaking, the present invention relates to the provision of a feeding receptacle by which balloons or other articles to be processed by the apparatus are longitudinally aligned therein, and article carrying or transporting means are associated with this receptacle and are adapted to carry the articles longitudinally of the receptacle, with the articles thereaiter being engaged by a second carrying member whereby the articles are resiliently engaged between such two carrying means and retained thereby in a plane. Portions of each of the carrying means are spaced laterally of the apparatus to engage with laterally spaced parts of the balloon, and an air jet or other external force is applied to the article being carried by the carrying means so as to deflect a local portion, such as the neck, of the aligned article out or the general plane of the article. Endless engagement means are provided .for seizing or grasping the deflected portions of the articles being carried by the carrying devices, and pulling the articles therefrom whereby the deflected portions of the articles will be discharged first. The endless engagement means delivers the articles onto an endless conveyor belt which has a special transversely directed means associated therewith for engagement with the article deposited thereon. The endless conveyor is design-ed to discharge the articles fed thereto with the deflected portions of the articles being uniformly positioned as they are discharged from the apparatus of the invention. The entire apparatus is automatic in action and is designed for continuous operation without danger of interferonce from the articles being processed.

Reference is now directed to the details of the structure shown in the accompanying drawings. Corresponding reference numerals will be used to designate corresponding partsshown in'the drawings and referred to in the specification. The apparatus includes a frame l which has vertically extending, spaced parallel sections that extend provided with a recessed, longitudinally directed center rib 3 which extends between the lower portion of a vertically extending section 40f the trough 2 and extends the length of a horizontal section of the trough. Fig. 1 best indicates that the vertically extending or directed sections 4 of the trough 2 may have more or less of an annular upper end and the balloons are deposited therein, although the over-all appearance of the trough 2 is elongate and contoured so as to position balloons with the longitudinal axes of the :balloons extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the trough. That is, the contour of the trough forces articles therein towards the center portion of the trough and the balloons are of such size that the lateral portions of the balloons overlie'the rib 3 and the neck portions of the balloons tend to extend down into the rio 3. In some instances, it is desirable to aid or facilitate movement of balloons into and through the trough 2 to achieve the desired alignment, and a conduit 6 is provided in the upper portion of the trough 2 and it is connected to a conduit 6 which connects to a source of compressed air or other gas. Exhaust ports I are provided in the lower portion of the conduit 6 so that air or gas will flow out through the ports l and will tend to flow down along the surface of the trough 2 to lubricate or aid sliding movement of the balloons down into the lower portion of the trough.

Fig. 3 of the drawings best shows that there are provided endless means, usually belts, for supporting and carrying balloons through the apparatus. Fig. 3 shows that two belts 8 and 9 are postiioned adjacent the left and lower margin of the trough 2 whereas two additional belts Ill and H are similarly positioned in the lower right hand portion of the trough 2 on the opposite side of the rib 3 from the belts 8 and 9. These belts 8 through I! may be made from a flexible or resilient material, such as leather, or they also could be made from coil springs, although in other instances, still other material may be used to form the belts, if desired. These belts 8 through H may be positioned in and driven by any suitable means and Fig. 3 shows that a hub or sheave i2 is journaled on a shaft l3 which in turn is journaled on the frame I by any conventional device.

Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings best show that the belts 8 and I! extend only substantially the length of the trough 2 whereas the belts 9 and Ill extend the entire length of the apparatus. As hereinafter explained, the belts 9 and Ill may be led around sets of guide pulleys I4 through I! that are journaled on the frame i so as to extend the length of the apparatus. The guide pulleys [4 to ll are associated only with a portion of the return stretch or length of the belts 9 and I0 to move same laterally outwardly from the remainder of the apparatus so as to avoid I interference therewith as the belts are returning to the front portion of the apparatus. The belts 9 and ID are positioned adjacent the rear or end portion of the apparatus of the invention by means of the pulley or sheave I8.

Immediately adjacent the discharge end of the trough 2 a device is positioned to aid in separating any balloons which might be substantially superimposed while being carried down around the trough, and to aid in moving balloons through the apparatus. In this instance, these means comprise a pair of resilient rolls l9 and 20 that are formed from any desirable material, such as sponge or cellular rubber or rubber-like material, and the rolls are carried on hubs 21 and 2 I formed on multiple pulleys 22 and 22 Each of the pulleys 22 and 22* is adapted to engage with and position belts used in moving balloons through the apparatus, and one pulley disc or segment 23 and 24 may be removably associated with the remainder of the pulleys 22 and 22*, respectively, by screws I23. Such a construction permits the resilient rolls J9 and 20 to be telescoped into engagement with the hubs after which the pulley discs 23 and 24 can be secured to the. remainder of the pulley so as to retain the resilient rolls l9 and 20 in their desired positions.

Fig. 5 of the drawings best shows that the diameters of the rolls I9 and 20 are larger than the portions of the pulleys 22 and 22 with which the rolls are associated. Hence, the peripheral speed of the rolls will be greater than that of the belts 8 to i I so that any balloon or other article on the belts will be seized by the rolls [9 and 2E] between their associated surfaces and will pull such articles between the roll bight due to the resilient engagement therewith by the rolls l9 and 2B. The greater peripheral speed of the rolls l9 and 20 will aid in separating articles which may be substantially superimposed on the belts, since one portion of such article normally will protrude from the other article. Furthermore, balloons are usually fed to the apparatus individually to avoid having several balloons become superimposed.

In the apparatus of the invention, it is desirable to grasp, resiliently, the balloons so that opposed lateral portions of same can be retained in a plane and be moved along a fixed path in the apparatus in a predetermined manner. Thus, the pulley 22 forms one end mount for belts 25 and 26 which initially engage the balloons adjacent the rolls [9 and 2!). These belts 25 and 26 are similar to the belts 8 and II and it will be seen that the belt 25 is immediately above and parallel to the belt 9, whereas the belt 26 is immediately above and parallel to the belt I0. These belts are so positioned as to permit the passage of a balloon therebetween with the associated belts resiliently grasping onto the balloon in order to move it along between and with the belts. Thus a substantially positive grip is obtained upon the balloons for moving them through the apparatus in a fixed path. A multiple pulley 2'! is suitably journaled in the frame I adjacent the rear thereof by means of a shaft 28 and this pulley 21 is adapted to position the rear portion of the belts 25 and 26 so as to retain them in spaced but parallel relation to the belts 9 and Ill. Fig. '7 of the drawings also clearly indicate that the sets of belts 25 and 9, and 26 and 10, are spaced from each other laterally of the apparatus for a reason to be hereinafter explained in detail. After the belts 9 and I0, and

25 and 26, pass between the associated pulleys 22 and 22, the adjacent portions of the belts may move along intermediate the top and bottom surfaces of a guide 28 (Fig. 6) which is provided and which extends rearwardly of the apparatus. The guide I28 may have a plastic, or transparent cover member 29 secured thereto and which extends between and is secured to spaced sections of the frame I in any conventional manner. The guide I28 may be formed from metal, or other suitable material.

In order to withdraw balloons from the apparatus neck first, Fig. ,1 of the drawings best shows that a pair of resilient, endless members, in this instance rolls 3d and ti, are positioned so as to extend transversely of the apparatus in parallel relation with each other and immediately below the upper stretch of the belts 9 and Iii. The rolls 3%) and 3! are conventionally secured to shafts 32 and 33, respectively, which are journaled in the frame I.

An important feature of the invention is that an external force is applied to the balloons immediately adjacent to and above the rolls 30 and 3! as such balloons are bein moved through the apparatus by the belt resiliently engaged therewith. In this embodiment of the invention, an air jet or jets is directed against the balloon in this portion of the apparatus. This air jet is emitted from a conduit 34 which connects to a suitable source of compressed air or other gas (not shown) and passes from the conduit 34 through a downwardly directed port or nozzle 35. Thus, regardless of whether the neck and ring roll portions of the balloons are moving first or last of the balloon as they are being moved through the apparatus of the invention, the air jet produced by air or other gas emitted from the conduit 34 will cause the neck and ring roll of the balloon to be positively moved downwardly of the remainder of the balloon to such an extent as to be caught in the bight between the rolls 3i? and 3!. Hence, the balloons will be pulled positively from engagement with the belts which have been carrying them, by the rolls 30 and 3!. The rolls 3% and 3i normally have an appreciably greater surface speed than the speed of the belts and the bight between the rolls -35 and 3! is sufiiciently stronger than the grasp of the belts on the balloons carried thereby that the rolls will function to withdraw balloons, more or less instantaneously, from engagement with the belt. The speed of movement of the belts is such that no matter whether the neck and ring roll of a balloon carried thereby is moving first or last of the balloon, the neck still will be caught in the roll bight between the rolls 3i} and 3|, whereby the balloon will be positively withdrawn from engagement with the belts by such means prior to passage of a second balloon to a position wherein its neck portion will be engaged by the rolls 30 and 3|.

From the rolls 3d and BI, the balloons are adapted to be deposited upon a special balloon carrying conveyor which is positioned immediately adjacent and below the rolls 3t and 31. This conveyor is indicated generally by the numeral 36 and it, as best shown in Figs. 8, and 9, may comprise a pair of resilient belts 37 and 38 of any desired construction which are positioned by and extend around multiple pulleys I39 and Mil with the pulley E35 being positioned adjacent the rear end of the apparatus whereas pulley I45 is positioned at the discharge portion of the apparatus. Normally, the belts 31 and 33 will be parallel to and extend in generally the same direction as the belts 9 and It and the other belts in the upper portion of the apparatus. The belts 3! and 38 are provided with and carry a plu rality of transversely directed bridging members 39 which are provided with vertically extending sections so that a corner provided for engag- 6. ing with the ring roll on the neck of a balloon. In this embodimentof the invention, the members 39 are formed from sheet metal and have a vertically directed, transversely extending wall surface 40 formed thereon. The members .39 may have dimples 4| formed in the lower portions of the walls 40 to aid in the resilient engagement with the belts 3! and 38. Preferably, the members 39 are spaced slightly longitudinally of the conveyor belt so that the balloons B will be supported only on the upper surfaces of the members 39, as indicated. The rear portion of each of the members 39 is downwardly inclined to eliminate this portion of the member from contact with the ballons deposited on and carried by the conveyor belt. Other transversely directed means may be used in place of the members 39, if desired, to form ribs on the ballon conveyor belt, and a leather, or plastic belt havingintegral, transversely directedribs thereon could be used, when desired.

Fig. 8 shows that the pulley is positioned on a shaft 42 which in turn is journaled in the frame I in any conventional manner and which has an extension shaft portion extending therefrom.

This extension of the shaft d2 is provided with a sprocket 43 which may engage with a chain belt 44 or other suitable means by which the shaft 42 can be driven. Fig. 1 of the drawings indicates that the speed of the conveyor belt 36 will usually be of such a nature as to throw off, literally, balloons B carried thereby. While not a part of this invention, other suitable receiving belts or other devices will be provided for the balloons deposited or aligned by the apparatus of the invention. It will be noted that the balloons will issue from the apparatus of the invention with the ring roll first in all instances and that all of the balloons will be deposited in a uniform manner (at a uniform ejection speed) from the apparatus of the invention.

It will be realized that any desired type of tensioning means may be provided for the difierent belts of the apparatus of the invention and that any required guide pulleys or rollers may also be associated with the belts. Fig. 1 indicates that a guide roller 45 may be positioned intermediate the upper and lower stretches of the belt 36. Obviously, the associated belts used in engaging with lateral portions of balloons positioned by the apparatus maybe positioned so that they would be laterally adjustable to accommodate different sized balloons.

The multiple pulleys '22 and 22 (Fig. 5) are shown as positioned on shafts so and 4?, respectively, with the shafts being journaled in pairs of bearings 48 and 49 that are in turn secured to portions of the frame I. The bearings 49 are socured in position by end caps to that engage the frame I. Special positioning means are provided for the bearings "53 so as to permit the vertical relationship between the associated belts 25 and 26 and the remaining portions of the apparatus to be varied. Thus, an eccentric, flat guide or positioning disc 5| is provided for positioning each of the bearings 48. The positioning discs 5! each have an annular recess 52 formed in the periphery thereof with the recess 52 being eccentrically positioned or formed with relation to an annular shoulder 55 which is provided on one surface of each of the discs 5| for engaging with and positioning the bearing members 48. Thus, the shoulders 55 of the discs 5| are suitably engaged with the bearings 48 which in turn' are so'arranged as 'to position the belts 25 and 26 in desired vertical association with the other belts 8 to H. Then the positioning discs are secured in a given annular position by means of clamp lugs 53 which are secured to the frame I by cap screws 54. One end of each of the clamp lugs 53 may have a pivot pin 53 secured thereto and engaged with recesses 56 in the outer portions of the frame I. The aforesaid construction permits the cap screws 54 to be loosened whereby the positioning discs 5| may be partially rotated with relation to the remainder of the apparatus and the bearings 48 to change the Vertical positions of the bearings after which the screws 54 can be tightened to secure the shaft 46 in its desired position.

Fig. 7 of the drawings best shows that similar members to those previously described with relation to the shaft 56 are also provided for mounting the shaft 28 at the rear portion of the apparatus and providing the second positioning member for the belts 25 and 26.

Any conventional drive may be provided for any of the belts and associated means of the apparatus. Fig. 5 best shows that the shaft 46 has an extension 36 formed thereon which carries a pulley or sheave 56 thereon through which the shaft 45 is driven. This pulley 66 carries one or more belts Bl thereon which in turn connects to small pulley 6t! on the shaft 33 which extends from one side of the frame I. The shaft 33 also carries a suitable sprocket which engages with a drive chain 63 that connects to a suitable driven member for driving the shaft 33. The shaft 33 for roll 3| may protrude from the opposite side of the frame and carry a gear 62 thereon which marks with a gear 63 on an extension of the shaft 32 to drive the roll 36. The shaft 32 also carries a sprocket thereon which engages a chain 65 that extends to and engages with a sprocket 66 that is secured to a shaft 67 on which the pulley i8 is mounted. The shaft 61 is journaled in the frame and extends between portions thereof to position the pulley 58. Thus the belts 9 and in are driven by the chain 65 and rotation of the belts 8 and l I occurs due to their association with belts 9 and it on the pulley l2.

It will be appreciated that any desired type of driving arrangement may be provided for the different belts and rolls of the invention. However, it is necessary that all of the belts, except the conveyor belt 36, operate at the same speed. Furthermore, it is desirable that the rolls I9 and 2!] move at a greater peripheral speed than the belts and this result is inherently obtained by the apparatus disclosed.

Inasmuch as the apparatus is particularly suited for aligning balloons in a predetermined manner, it is desirable to feed the balloons or other articles to the apparatus individually so that the articles being processed are naturally spaced slightly from each other as they pass through the apparatus of the invention.

In some instances, it may not be necessary to use a feed trough of the type disclosed herein and it may even be possible to replace the rib 3 indicated as being formed on the trough 2 by means of another belt which would move along in association with the belts 5 to H but which possibly would be at a lower horizontal position than the remainder of the belts. By virtue of the fact that the trough 2 will inherently more or less align balloons being processed so that they extend longitudinally of the apparatus, the neck and associated ring roll of the balloon will either lead or follow the wider portion of the balloon as it is being moved through the apparatus. This facilitates processing the balloons in the manner set forth herein.

It should be noted that the apparatus of the invention is adapted to function continuously and automatically so as to process balloons in the desired manner and deliver the balloons ring roll, or neck first from the apparatus at a uniform speed. In some instances, the balloons may not be uniformly spaced, or the intervals between balloon delivery may not be uniformly timed, but the apparatus will discharge articles at substantially the same intervals as the articles are fed thereto. The apparatus has been tested satisfactorily in operation and has processed up to three hundred articles a minute. The apparatus will operate with a minimum of maintenance and once set up will require substantially no supervision. Inasmuch as the articles being processed are of relatively small size, the over-all size of the apparatus of the invention will be correspondingly small whereby it can fit into a compact space and save floor space in this manner. In packaging balloons, it is desirable to have the neck portion of the balloon extend in a fixed direction whereby the balloon can be packaged with a minimum of air contained therein and use of the apparatus of the invention permits balloons to be fed to the packaging device in the desired manner.

In some instances, it may be desirable to use additional air or fluid conduits similar to the conduit 5 and have same extend along the sides of the trough 2. Also, it may be possible to omit the conduit 3% or to use a light mechanical member such as a hair spring in place of the air jet to move the balloon necks positively out of the plane of the remainder of the balloons.

Fig. 1 best brings out that the cover member 29 is appreciably longer than the remaining parts of the guide 28. This cover 29 is adapted to serve more or less as a baiile unit and it keeps any ring rolls or neck portions of the balloons that tend to fly upwardly from the periphery of the roll 30 from moving an undesired distance vertically of the apparatus. It will be realized that the rolls 36 and 3! are immediately below the top stretch of the belts 8 and H with such upper portions of such belts being immediately below the belts 25 and 26. These pairs of belts are so spaced vertically of the apparatus, so as to engage, resiliently, with any articles carried by the belts 8 and II. It also will be realized that the belts 8 and l I and 25 and 28 are so spaced laterally with relation to each other that they are adapted to engage with only the lateral or marginal portions of a balloon or other article carried by the belts 8 and H. Hence the ring rolls or neck portions of the balloons tend to be suspended from or between the belts 8 and H. In all events, the guide or bafile 29 prevents undesired vertical movement of the neck portions of the balloons and such guide or baffle plate 29 will cooperate with the air jet which issues from the nozzle or opening 35 to aid in forcing or directing the neck portions of the balloons down between the adjacent surfaces of the rolls 33 and 3: as the articles are moved through the apparatus. In connection with the tube 34 and air jet or nozzle associated therewith, it will be realized that a plurality of air discharge openings or nozzles may be provided in the tube 34, if desired. A slot 35 in the cover 29 passes air from the tube through the cover.

The drawings indicate that the belts disclosed herein are made from coil springs, and this is one type of av resilient belt. which is. adaptable for use: in practice of the. invention. In some instances, it: may be. desirable. to replace the belts 31 and 3 8 with the transversely extending member 39? therebetweenv with. one flat surfaced belt. That-is, in some cases it may be possible to use a rough surfaced, relatively wide belt which is adapted to receive balloons thereon and to carry the balloons therealong when no relative movementoccurs between the balloon and the belt. Any relative movement between the balloon and belt would greatly impair the functioning of the invention and it is important that no relative movement occur therebetween after the balloon, or'other'article has once been deposited upon the belt.

While in accord with the patent statutes, I have specifically illustrated and described one best known embodiment of my invention, it is to be particularly understood that I am not to be limited thereto or thereby; but that the scope of my invention is defined in. the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Balloon sorting apparatus comprising a relatively narrow feed trough. having a recessed center rib extending longitudinally thereof, said feed trough having a vertically extending portion and a horizontally extending portion with said rib extending therebetween, a pair of belt means for supporting the lateral portions of the balloons and carrying them along the horizontal portion of and beyond said trough, said trough being adapted to feed balloons deposited thereon onto saidbelt means, said belt means being spaced lat,- erally of the apparatus, a second pair of belt means, means positioning said pair of belt means above parallel and opposed to said first pair of belt means at the end of said trough to resiliently engage with opposed lateral portions of any balloon thereon, means for rotating said pairs of belt means at the same speed, a pair of roll means positioned in association with said first pair of belt means at the end of said trough to aid in feeding balloons to said second pair of belt means, said roll means being driven at a greater surface speed than said belts, said belt means cooperating to permit the necks of any balloons carried thereby to be suspendedtherebetween, an air jet for forcing the balloon necks down between said pairs of belts, a pair of resilient rolls positioned adjacent and below said belt means to engage with the neck of any balloons carried thereby, means for rotating said rolls at a greater surface speed than the speed of said pairs of belt means to pull said balloons out of engagement with said pairs of belt means, and notched belt means for receiving balloonsneck first from said rolls and discharging same neck first at a desired point.

2. Balloon sorting apparatus comprising a relatively narrow feedtrough having a recessed center rib extending longitudinally thereof, said feed trough having a vertically extending portion and a horizontally extending portion with said rib extending therebetween, a pair of driven belt means for supporting the lateral portions of any balloons insaid trough and carrying them along the horizontal portion of and beyond said trough, the individual belts of said belt means being spaced laterally of the apparatus from each other, a second pair of driven belt' means, means positioning said second pair of belt means above and opposed to said first pair of belt means at the end of said trough to be positioned immediately above said first belt means and resilient- 1y engage with opposed lateral portions of any balloon therein, said pairs of belt means cooperating to permit the necks of any balloons carried thereby to be suspended therebetween, a pair of driven resilient rolls positioned adjacent and below said belt means to engage with the neck of any balloons carried thereby and pull same away from said belt means, and notched belt means for receiving balloons neck first from said rolls and discharging same neck first at a desired point.

3. Balloon sorting apparatus comprising a relatively narrow feed trough having a recessed center rib extending longitudinally thereof, said feed trough having a vertically extending portion and a horizontally extending portion with said rib extending therebetween, a pair of driven belt means for supporting the lateral portions of any balloons in said trough and carrying them along the horizontal portion of and beyond said trough, the individual belts of said belt means being spaced laterally of the apparatus from each other, a second pair of driven belt means, means positioning said second pair of belt means above and opposed to said first pair of belt means at the end of said trough to be positioned immediately above said first belt means and resiliently engage with opposed lateral portions of any balloon thereon, means associated with the receiving end of said second pair of belt means for separating any balloons carried by said first belt means in contacting association, said pairs of belt means cooperating to permit the necks of any balloons carried thereby to be suspended therebetween, and a pair of driven resilient rolls positioned adjacent and below said belt means to engage with the neck of any balloons carried thereby and pull same away from said belt means.

i. Balloon sorting apparatus comprising a relatively narrow feed trough having a recessed center rib extending longitudinally thereof, said feed trough having a vertically extending portion and a horizontally extending portion with said rib extending therebetween, a pair of driven belt means for supporting the lateral portions of any balloons in said trough and carrying them along the horizontal portion of and beyond said trough, the individual belts of said belt means being spaced laterally of the apparatus from each other, a second pair of driven belt means, means p0- sitioning said second pair of belt means above and opposed to said first pair of belt means at the end of said trough to be positioned immediately above said first belt means and resiliently engage with opposed lateral portions of any balloon thereon, said pairs of belt means cooperating to permit the necks of any balloons carried thereby to be suspended therebetween, and a pair of driven resilient rolls positioned adjacent and below said belt means to engage with the neck of any balloons carried thereby and pull same away from said belt means.

5. Balloon sorting apparatus comprising a pair of horizontally positioned belt means for supporting spaced lateral portions of balloons and carrying them along a horizontal path, the individual belts of said belt means being spaced laterally of the apparatus, means for feeding balloons onto said belt means with the balloon necks hanging therebetween, a second pair of belt means, means for driving said pairs of belt means, means positioning said second pair of belt means above and opposed to said first pair of belt means for at least a portion of their length to resiliently engage with opposed lateral portions of any balloon thereon, said belt means cooperating to permit the necks of any balloons carried thereby to be suspended therebetween, and a pair of driven resilient rolls positioned adjacent and below said belt means to engage with the neck of any balloons carried thereby.

6. Balloon sorting apparatus comprising a pair of horizontally positioned belt means for supporting spaced lateral portions of balloons and carrying them alon a horizontal path, the individual belts of said belt means being spaced laterally of the apparatus, means for feeding balloons onto said belt means, a second pair of belt means, means for driving said pairs of belt means, means positioning said second pair of belt means above and opposed to said first pair of belt means for at least a portion of their length to resiliently engage with opposed lateral portions of any balloon thereon, said belt means cooperating to permit the necks of any balloons carried thereby to be suspended therebetween, air jet means associated with said pairs of belts to force the necks of balloons carried thereby downwardly thereof, and a pair of driven resilient rolls positioned adjacent and below said belt means to engage with the neck of any balloons carried thereby and pull balloons from engagement with said belt means.

7. Balloon sorting apparatus comprising a pair of horizontally positioned belt means for supporting spaced lateral portions of balloons and carrying them along a horizontal path, the individual belts of said belt means being spaced laterally of the apparatus, a second pair of belt means, means for driving said pairs of belt means, means positioning said Second pair of belt means above and opposed to said first pair of belt means for at least a portion of their length to resiliently engage with opposed lateral portions of any balloon thereon, said positioning means engaging said second named belt means only at the ends of loops formed in such belt means, air jet means associated with said pairs of belts to force the necks of balloons carried thereby downwardly thereof, and a pair of driven means positioned adjacent and below said belt means intermediate the ends of a horizontal stretch of the upper portion of said belt means to engage with the neck of any balloons carried thereby.

8. In balloon sorting apparatus, yieldable driven means including a pair of spaced parallel belt means for engaging with the lateral portions of a'balloon to move it along in a plane, means for depositin balloons on said belt means with the necks of the balloons being positioned be tween such belt means, means for forcing the neck of a balloon out of such plane, and driven resilient means for engaging with the balloon neck when forced out of the plane of movement of the balloon to pull the balloon neck first from engagementwith the yieldable means.

9. Balloon sorting apparatus comprising an elongate feed trough adapted to deliver balloons with the longitudinal axes of the balloons sub stantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the trough, air jet means associated with said trough for aiding movement of balloons therethrough, a pair of belt means for supporting the lateral portions of the balloons and receivin them from said trough, said belt means being spaced laterally of the apparatus, a second pair of belt means, means positioning said second pair of belt means above and substantially opposed to said first pair of belt means to compress against said first belt means and resiliently engage with opposed lateral portions of any balloon thereon, said belt means cooperating to permit the necks of any balloons carried thereby to be suspended therebetween, and a pair of endless members positioned adjacent and below said belt means to engage with the neck of any balloons carried thereby to pull the balloons from the apparatus neck first.

10. In balloon sorting apparatus, driven means for engaging with the lateral portions of a balloon to move it along in a plane and including laterally spaced belt means having a horizontal upper stretch lying in the said plane, means for forcing the neck of a balloon out of such plane, and means for engaging with the balloon neck when forced out of the plane of movement of the balloon to pull the balloon neck first from engagement with the means, said last named means being positioned below said upper belt stretch intermediate the ends thereof.

11. Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein a bafile plate is positioned on the approach side of said driven means intermediate said first pair of belt means and said pair of driven means and extending to a position substantially above said driven means to facilitate engagement of balloons by said resilient roll means.

12. Balloon sorting apparatus comprising a pair of horizontally positioned driven belt means for supporting spaced lateral portions of balloons and carrying them along a horizontal path, a trough for feeding balloons to said belt means, air jet means for facilitating movement of balloons along said trough to said belt means, the individual belts of said belt means being spaced laterally of the apparatus, a second pair of driven belt means, means positioning said second pair of belt means above and opposed to said first pair of belt means for at least a portion of their length to resiliently engage with opposed lateral portions of any balloon thereon, air jet means associated with said pairs of belts to force the necks of balloons carried thereby downwardly thereof, a pair of rolls positioned adjacent and below said belt means to engage with the neck of any balloons carried thereby, and means driving said resilient rolls at a greater peripheral speed than the movement of said belt means.

DANIEL P. REYNOLDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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